Curcumin is a bright yellow chemical produced by the spice turmeric, among other plants. Curcumin seems to have multiple benefits for diabetes symptoms. It has been shown to be a marked inhibitor of reactive oxygen species that promote oxidation damage in cells. Curcumin lowers inflammatory chemicals like tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and that’s good because TNF-a causes insulin resistance and irritates fatty livers. Curcumin can reduce another pro-inflammatory chemical called NF-KB. The above-mentioned actions provide a benefit in diabetes protection and reduce the risk of developing diabetes symptoms and complications. Curcumin has also been shown to enhance pancreatic beta cell functioning and reduce fatty liver deposition. It reduces high blood sugar, A1C, and insulin resistance. It was also shown to reduce the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, and that is a higher risk in diabetic patients than in nondiabetic patients. A good dose is 200 to 3,000 mg a day.

A rapid-acting inhaled insulin (Afrezza) is also FDA-approved for use before meals. It must be used in combination with long-acting insulin in patients with type 1 diabetes and should not be used by those who smoke or have chronic lung disease. It comes as a single dose cartridge.Premixed insulin is also available for people who need to use more than one type of insulin.

The only way to effectively reverse type 2 diabetes (or even pre-diabetes) is to deal with the underlying cause – Insulin Resistance. Trying to address the blood sugar levels (with medication) without addressing the insulin levels is treating the symptoms, not treating the root cause. It is similar to using a bucket to remove water from an overflowing sink rather than actually turning off the tap!

Magnesium is a mineral found naturally in foods such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains and in nutritional supplements. Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions. It helps regulate blood sugar levels and is needed for normal muscle and nerve function, heart rhythm, immune function, blood pressure, and for bone health.

Replacing humans with computers could make patients better control their sugar levels and suffer less complications in the long term. The French company Cellnovo has already shown that just a partially automated system, where blood sugar levels can be monitored wirelessly but patients still select insulin amounts, can reduce the chances of reaching life-threatening low sugar levels up to 39%. The company is now working towards developing a fully automated artificial pancreas in collaboration with Imperial College, the Diabeloop consortium and the Horizon2020 program.

In that analysis, the Khan study looks like an outlier. More studies have emerged since then: Crawford in 2009 found 1g of cinnamon per day reduced A1C levels compared to placebo. Suppapitiporn found no effect on any measure with 1.5g per day. Akilen, in 2010, found an effect with 2g per day. Another meta-analysis, published in 2012 and included 6 studies, concluded the opposite of Baker, and made positive conclusions:

When the insulin levels are unable to keep up with the increasing resistance, blood sugars rise and your doctor diagnoses you with type 2 diabetes and starts you on a pill, such as metformin. But metformin does not get rid of the sugar. Instead, it simply takes the sugar from the blood and rams it back into the liver. The liver doesn’t want it either, so it ships it out to all the other organs — the kidneys, the nerves, the eyes, the heart. Much of this extra sugar will also just get turned into fat.

Second, all minerals and vitamins should be taken in the most absorbable, bioactive forms. This makes the product a little more expensive, but there is a huge difference in the body’s ability to absorb and metabolize different forms of nutrients. I recommend Pure Encapsulations’ Polyphenol Nutrients to my patients, as part of a natural home remedies protocol for diabetes.
If your cells aren’t responding to insulin, your pancreas produces more to turn up the volume on the signal that glucose is available and the cells should absorb it. When your pancreas can keep up, blood glucose stays within healthy ranges, and all is well. When your pancreas starts to poop out, you end up with insulin deficiency, which leads to blood sugar fluctuations and weight gain.
The big news with the use of fig leaves is that they have anti-diabetic properties. The diabetic needs less insulin when on a treatment of using the fig leaf extract. The diabetic should take the extract with breakfast, first thing in the morning. An additional remedy is to boil the leaves of the fig in some freshly filtered waster and drink this as a tea. Read the whole article on fig leaves and diabetes:
Testosterone replacement therapy may improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in diabetic hypogonadal men. The mechanisms by which testosterone decreases insulin resistance is under study.[81] Moreover, testosterone may have a protective effect on pancreatic beta cells, which is possibly exerted by androgen-receptor-mediated mechanisms and influence of inflammatory cytokines.[82]
Known as gurmar, or “sugar destroyer,” in Aryuvedic medicine, Gymnema has consistently shown benefits in patients with diabetes. The most active part of Gymnema seems to be gymnemic acids, and many products list the percentage each capsule contains. Analyses of the herb for diabetes have shown it may be helpful in lowering high blood sugar levels. It can delay glucose absorption from the intestine. It was shown to regenerate pancreatic tissues, allowing more insulin to be produced, and help regulate insulin secretion. It also increases the utilization of glucose by the cell, reducing insulin resistance and decreasing appetite, especially for sweets. I usually use it in capsules, or in liquid form in some patients. Due to Gymnema having a very similar shape to glucose, it can fit into the taste bud receptors for sugar; it thus has unbelievable power to actually prevent the taste of sweets in the mouth for up to 1.5 hours. When I have a patient who is still struggling to not eat cake and cookies and so forth at parties or celebrations (or just in general), I will give her a tincture of Gymnema sylvestre. This is one of my favorite herbs for diabetes. In capsule form doses of 400 to 2,400 mg a day are recommended.

Known for its immune-boosting and disease-fighting benefits, this Chinese herb has several positive diabetes studies behind it. Re­searchers have found that ginseng slows carbohydrate absorption; increases cells’ ability to use glucose; and increases insulin secretion from the pancreas. A team from the University of Toronto has repeatedly demonstrated that ginseng capsules lower blood glucose 15 to 20 percent compared to placebo pills. These are the best superfoods for people with diabetes.

Although the promises are big, these technologies are still far from the market. First, clinical trials will have to show they do work. Then, the price could be steep, as cell therapy precedents for other applications, such as oncology, come with price tags that reach the six figures and are finding difficulties to get reimbursed. Considering that compared to cancer, diabetes is not an immediately life-threatening disease, health insurers in some countries might be reluctant to cover the treatment.
Carbs and fats provide energy for the body. When carbs are limited in the diet, fat becomes the preferred and efficient fuel source. When you reduce your intake of one macronutrient, you have to increase your intake of at least one other macronutrient—otherwise you’ll feel hungry and not have enough energy. The low-fat craze started with flawed science that incorrectly stated that fat was dangerous. In a low carb, high-fat diet, fat provides you with the energy your body needs, and also helps knock out hunger and cravings.
It’s the patients with type 2 diabetes that lean towards supplements. While lifestyle modifications (exercise, weight loss, and smoking cessation) are the foundation for managing diabetes, drug treatment is usually also required. There are an array of prescription drugs like metformin and glyburide with a long history of use and demonstrated efficacy. Some drugs even decrease mortality – the primary outcome we’re after. But proper treatment has also been shown to the reduce the risk of an array of other consequences: Diabetes is the biggest cause of blindness, kidney failure and non-traumatic amputation. Diabetes is associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, too. Yet despite the irreversible consequences of diabetes, and the availability of effective medications, type 2 diabetes remains poorly-controlled in many, often because of poor self-management.

Any food that you ingest is processed and metabolized by the body. Food is broken down into the various building blocks the body needs, and what cannot be metabolized or used is processed and removed by the liver. Protein and fats are used for muscle and tissue regeneration and other processes in the body. Carbohydrates are typically a fast fuel for the body, but when more are eaten that the body immediately needs, they must be stored. A simple explanation from a previous post:

Besides going raw and eliminating sugar out of your life, you must switch to raw milk or its alternatives. In the book, The Devil in the Milk, Dr. Kevin Woodford explains how the type of milk we drink, directly reflects of the high incidence of many diseases, including diabetes and cancers. There are many substitutes available from almond milk to oat milk. They are extremely healthy and easy to make.

“People need to understand the continuum of diabetes,” she says. “If they’re on an upward trajectory of insulin resistance and a downward trajectory of insulin production weight loss, healthful eating and physical activity will slow down the insulin-loss trajectory and improve insulin sensitivity.” But, she says, “If they gain weight back, the diabetes comes back.”

Diabetes is the major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack and stroke. The number of people affected by all types of diabetic disorders is now over four times higher than just 40 years ago. This has led the World Health Organization (WHO) to consider diabetes an epidemic, predicting it will soon be the seventh biggest cause of death worldwide.

To drop pounds, Galati emphasizes using portion control, avoiding processed foods, and eating fresh vegetables, fruits, and fresh lean meat, poultry, and fish. Regular exercise should also be part of the program. Typically, he talks to patients about first targeting a weight loss goal of 10 percent. Once that is achieved, they typically strive for increments of 5 percent to 7 percent on a 6- to 12-month basis.
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Besides going raw and eliminating sugar out of your life, you must switch to raw milk or its alternatives. In the book, The Devil in the Milk, Dr. Kevin Woodford explains how the type of milk we drink, directly reflects of the high incidence of many diseases, including diabetes and cancers. There are many substitutes available from almond milk to oat milk. They are extremely healthy and easy to make.

Thank you Dr. Hallberg!! I am a Family Nurse Practitioner who did tele-medicine for 5 years before retiring. At 66 years of age my doctor diagnosed me with Type II Diabetes. I refused to take the medication and instead opted for a 6 month trial to lose enough weight to make the difference. After 4 months I’d lost 8 pounds and still had high blood sugars. Then my husband’s PCP recommended watching your TedTalk. That was the beginning and we both jumped into LCHF/Keto with both feet using Diet Doctor and you as our main resources. My husband has lost 38 pounds and I have lost 42 pounds since November 2017. More importantly my lab results today were a HgbA1c of 5.3 with average blood glucose of 105. I have about 50 more pounds to go to be at a healthier weight BUT I owe you a big thank you!! Now I’m working to encourage others of my friends, family and coaching clients to give LCHF/Keto a try! Thanks!!!!

In medical world, diabetes is known more commonly by the name of diabetes mellitus. In simpler and day-to-day language, it is referred as diabetes. It is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced, or the body does not produce enough insulin. In both the conditions, the body is not able to get enough amount of insulin to function properly.

This article is great, it combines all of the info I have found, not only putting it into a well written article but adds info I had not found yet. I have struggled with type 2 and losing weight, starting an aggressive weight cardio plan in 2016 with an A1C level of 9.7%. Even after three months of an hour or more of weight lifting and 30-50 mins of hard hilly terrain bike riding, my bets A1C was 7.7% with lowering my carb count to the recommended range. After an injury caused me to have to stop many of the exercises for a bit my A1C went up to the 9% range. July this year my A1C was 9.9% and my Dr was talking about insulin shots, which I hate needles. One last ditch effort to find a solution and avoid the shots, I found an article about the benefits of intermittent fasting. I did a lot of research on the matter before creating my own version of a Keto diet, and went on a strict diet of 5-8 servings of green leafy vegetables a day, around 45g of carbs a day, 3oz of lean or healthy fat protein a meal and fasting for 18 hours between Dinner till lunch the next day for two and a half months. My A1C was 6.5, I lost 20lbs, and have tons of energy and no cravings. I have altered my diet to fit my new exercise plan, still 5-8 servings of vegetables a day, but have added occasional breakfasts of two eggs and 1/2 cup salsa, no more than 100g of carbs a day except my once a week cheat day that might go slightly higher if my blood sugar is in a good range, 6oz lean healthy fat protein, and a hard boiled egg in between meals.
I would love to hear what you have to say about a person that is 5’5″ and 110 lbs. My blood sugar was was in the 90s to 112 when fasting. My A1C was 5.7. So I started to eat less carbs but my A1C stayed elevated. I was then diagnosed with Glucose intolerance and prescribed Tradjenta 5mg. I also read several books on the subject and came across your TEDTalk video. I then adjusted my low carb eating and on the meds since 2017. I still need the meds to maintain my A1C at 5.2.

Vanadium is a compound found in tiny amounts in plants and animals. Early studies showed that vanadium normalized blood sugar levels in animals with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. When people with diabetes were given vanadium, they had a modest increase in insulin sensitivity and were able to lower their need for insulin. Researchers want to understand how vanadium works in the body, find potential side effects, and set safe dosages.

Many manufacturers offer pen delivery systems. Such systems resemble the ink cartridge in a fountain pen. A small, pen-sized device holds an insulin cartridge (usually containing 300 units). Cartridges are available for the most widely used insulin formulations. The amount of insulin to be injected is dialed in, by turning the bottom of the pen until the required number of units is seen in the dose-viewing window. The tip of the pen consists of a needle that is replaced with each injection. A release mechanism allows the needle to penetrate just under the skin and deliver the required amount of insulin.